04 
part, / think that rather than assisting private enterprise in the 
erection of machinery and factories , it would be better for Govern- 
ment to boldly take'' the matter in ha id in the first instance by 
starting small experimental works o i the lines indicated above . 
is}. But whichever way it is done is perhaps immaterial, so that 
something shall be done as soon as possible ; and agriculture, to 
which th«- country and the people are so peculiarly well adapted, 
shall have its fair share of recognition at the hands of Government. 
1 have, etc,, 
A. HALE, 
* Collector of Land Revenue, Kuala Lumpur ■ 
The Secretary to Resident, Selangor. 
I.C.T., F.M.S: 7-04. 
R.G. Misc : 7259-04. 
Office of the Inspector of Coconut Treks, 
Federated Malay -States, 
Kuala Lumpur, 1 ith January , 1904. 
Subject : 
Encouragement of Agriculture among Nvhves. 
Sir,— 
l have the honour to refer to my letter No. 1 74-03 to the Resident' 
General of nth November, 1903, 01 this subject as I have some 
further suggestions to offer which the Government may perhaps care 
to take into consideration. 
2. In the first place, 1 am of opinion if Government were to 
erect central depots or store-houses for the collection of coconuts to 
be converted into copra in the districts where there are numerous 
native holdings scattered about and the means of transport both 
difficult and costly it would afford considerable assistance to the 
owners. > 
3. My scheme is that the natives should bring in all their sur- 
plus coconuts which they have to dispose of to this “ central depot 
and that Government make arrangements with some Chinese, who 
are well up in the business, for purchasing the nuts so collected for 
the manufacture of copra. 1 do not anticipate any trouble about 
this, as provided the nuts are collected in sufficient abundance to 
allow of constant employment and this certainly should be so, it 
outfit not to be difficult to find as at Jeram and other places, many 
small Chinese traders of this class who I feel sure, will be very glad 
of such an opening. The agreement between the contractors and 
the Government being that the former shall pay cash for the coco- 
nuts as received or delivered by the natives at the depot. 
